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Don't find fault with Benedict's decision

The Lowell Sun

Updated:
02/14/2013 10:33:22 AM EST

Pope Benedict XVI has announced he will resign at the end of February.

It didn't take long for the secular media and liberal elements within the Church to chime in. Secularists have long been troubled by his so-called conservative (I'll call it orthodox) theology: pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-natural law, pro-doctrine.

While still a cardinal, dissident liberals within the Church dubbed him "God's Rottweiler" and, even, "The Rat," a play on words of his family name, Ratzinger.

CNN's Nic Robertson just couldn't wait to dig up once again the priest sex-abuse scandal and accuse Benedict of a coverup. First of all, let's recall that these horrific crimes took place 25 to 30 years ago. For years the victims were silent in their embarrassment and confusion; the Church, for its part, thought it best to shield the victims from publicity and rehabilitate the perpetrators.

In recent years the Vatican pressed dioceses around the world to enact many new policies to prevent recurrence. This was started while Benedict was still a cardinal and continued after he ascended to the papacy.

The media is ignoring his advanced age and suggests he is resigning because he just can't handle the stress of all the scandals and crises. The Church has always had crises and scandals -- dissident religious, heresies, schisms, all number of secular "isms."

At 85, he is older than John Paul II was when he died.

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Since the beginning of the 20th century, the average age when a pope died is 78. By the way, when he became Pope at age 78, Benedict was the oldest new pope since 1730.

Catholics believe the Holy Father is the vicar of Christ on earth and the successor to St. Peter. While over the course of centuries some have not been exemplary, believers and others of good will should thank this pope, Benedict XVI, for his devotion and sacrifice in serving and pray that his successor will hold true to the deposit of faith that comes from the very Apostles.

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